Work From Home, Even in a Bad Economy

Get help. If you need help crafting your proposal, download the telecommuting template ($30) offered on www.WorkOptions.com, endorsed by everyone from the Wall Street Journal to Mr. "What Color Is Your Parachute?" himself, Richard Bolles. Much cheaper than hiring a career coach.

Embrace your inner pioneer. Your company may not have a telework policy in place or any teleworkers on staff; many still don't. But that doesn't mean the conversation has to be over before it even begins. Talk to your boss. Pick a couple of the most compelling reasons why you'd like to give working from home a shot on a trial basis, and tell him or her you'd like to put together a formal proposal.

In every company with alternative work arrangements, somebody had to be the first pioneer to propose working from home. Why not you?

This work is the opinion of the columnist and in no way reflects the opinion of ABC News.

Michelle Goodman is a freelance journalist, author, and former cubicle dweller. Her books -- "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube" and "My So-Called Freelance Life: How to Survive and Thrive as a Creative Professional for Hire" (October 2008) -- offer an irreverent take on the traditional career guide. More tips on career change, flex work, and the freelance life can be found on her blog, Anti9to5Guide.com